FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans are pushing to close a decades-old immigration loophole they say was heavily abused by the Biden administration.The effort, led by Sen.Katie Britt, R-Ala., would prevent detained illegal immigrants from being released back into the U.S.
in the event that their home countries would not accept their return.Britt told Fox News Digital that her bill, the Keeping Our Communities Safe Act, would cinch tight the loophole that was created in 2001 when the Supreme Court ruled that illegal immigrants could be released from detention after six months if no country accepted them for deportation.FAUCI HELD IN CONTEMPT AS COVID CELLPHONE LANDS IN HANDS OF SENATE INVESTIGATORSSen.Katie Britt, R-Ala., attends the confirmation hearing for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill on July 15, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
(Getty Images)"Ultimately, we want to create pathways for these people to go back to the country they came from," Britt said."But just because we can't get a country to comply does not mean that that person should get to roam free in the United States of America.""They should be there in detention until we're able to find them a pathway back to their country," she continued.
"So this loophole was obviously exploited a great deal in the Biden administration, and what we're doing is making sure that we are putting forth legislation that closes it once and for all."Over two decades ago, the court ruling limited the federal government’s authority to detain illegal immigrants and instilled a time frame that a noncitizen could remain detained.TLAIB MOVES TO BLOCK ICE AIRPORT ARRESTS, SAYS TSA HELPING TARGET IMMIGRANTSOnce that six-month period has elapsed and there is no likelihood of removal, the government is tasked with presenting evidence that removal is still likely and on the table.But if they can’t, the detainee has to be released under supervision.Britt’s bill targets two secti...